The Forrest City times., 1887-10-15
SET IN DIAMONDS
By Charlotte Braeme.
CHAPTER XLI.-CoSTtxrrn

IT she had said she was not oniltv they would have asked her How sbe came by the portrait e'' and If she avowed the truth, the old terror and shame.would revive, and her daughter the beautiful young duchess, would be shadowed by her shame. After being dead to them for all these years she could not let them know she was liy- ing. "
 Believing her to be dead, her dauph- ter reyered, loved and esteemed her. spoke of her with tears in her eyes. Worshlpped her memory. An better to have died a thousand deaths than Tor her daughter to have known that dreadful story of her love, her pain and the threat of the divorce court. Better anything than that. Cheerfully, as years ago, for that same daughters 2 sake, she had chosen death in life. SO now she would choose prison and exile. Yet there was another branch of the matter to which she had not yet given any consideration, and she wanted to think ot 1t. If she pleaded guilty, they. belle wing that she knew where the jewels were would make no further search for them, and so they would be lost forever.
 That was horrible to think of. vet how could she avoid it? What could she dor
 If she told them truthfully she was not guilty, they would ask:
 :W hence had she the picture p and the truth must come out,
 If the truth did come out. she be- lieved that her daughters life would De marredi therefore, it must never come out. They must do as they would -lmprison, punish her as they would -she would keep her plea of guilty and hear it.
 Never, through word Of hers, should her daughters beautiful head be bent in shame-neyer should she know that the woman to whom she had been SO charitable and kind, the woman accused of being thief, was her hap less mother Marguerite Lady Stair. Anything rather than that-coldness. exile, and death.
 There was the steadfast light of martyrdom on her face when she turned to the Duke of Meath.
 'l have thought ," sine said, .'and I --l have no answer to give :"
 You will not tell me where the jewels are, Mrs. Grey?"
 "I can not" she replied slowly.
 "ltmeans the same thing. You know what the alternative is ."
 "i can not imagine it, your grace ;" she said.
 And you will make no effort at avoiding it. .''
 ''l can not" she repeated warmly.
 Still the Duke of Meath seemed un- willing to leave her. He paced hur- riedly up and down the room; while she regalned her dignity and calm.
 "l can not bear the idea :" he said, "of delicate and refined woman like yourself going to prison. To me it seems perfectly horrible. Can I do no thing to tempt you, to persuade you, to beseeeh you?"
 Nothing, your grace" she replied, gently.
 "You can not Be a hardened sinner. a hardened thief" he continued "it is impossible. Can 1t be that you are a victim-that you are in some way in the hands of this gang?"
 "No," she answered; "my guilt is all my own"
 "Then you refuse, definitely, to give any help or elew, however small, by which we can discover what we have lost"
 She wineed at the worda
 "l can not" she replied.
 You prefer the alteTnntive--trial and prison ."
 Il must bear it." she replied, and the duke, with all angry word, left the room. There was use in words.
 'l can do nothing, Ethel" he said 'you had better go to the wretched wom an yourself, and see if you can in- fuenee her :"
 The gentle, generous young duchess looked veE depressed and unhappy.
 "Fulke," she cried, "I am sure there Is some mystery in 1t. 1 can never be- lieye that refined and gentle lady has anything to do with it."
 "You forget the portrait, Ethel"
 "I do not. 1 saw it brought from her box, but l can not help thinking that she is shielding some one"
 ''I do not see who there is to shield," he replied.
 Nor do I; but I can not think her capable of it. It seems to me quite as possible that I should be a thief my self"
 My dear Ethel. there is some differ ence between the Duchess of Meath and a lace-mender. Go yourself and see if you can do any better"
 The duchess went. She looked pale and distressed. Sine would have given anything she hal in the world rather than this should have happened. She entered the tapestry-room where the housekeeper and Mrs. Grey still re- mained. Mrs. Grey had found her calm and dignity with the duke, she lost it with the duchess.
 "Do not speak to mel" she cried. 'Do not come near me ei-do not look at me with those kind, plying eyesn
 Tears ran down the beautiful face.
 ''I would rather" said the duchess, "have lost all my fortune, all my dia- monds, and everything else than have seen you in such trouble"
 Heaven bless you," sobbed the elder woman.
 "My husband has asked me to come and persuade you," she said ;"persuade you to tell us where the jewels are; but l can not. I feel, no matter how appearances are against you, feel that you can not be guilty. I SOW the portrait set in diamonds taken from your box; but 1 can not believe you guilty-I will notl'
 "Heaven bless you '" sobbed the elder woman. ''I shall take those words with me even to my death :"
 My great griefis, i" said the duchess. "that I have lost the most precious memento I had of my mother; the only paper in her handwriting addressed to me; that was worth more to me than the diamonds"
 Then tue weeping woman drew near re to her.
 ''I am going to prison,' v she said. "You have been as kind as an angel to me. Will you, before l go, forget my misery and shame, and let me once just onee-kiss your handsg"
 The duchess tried to take the trem- bling hands into her own, but the woman who was Marguerite Lady Stair, bent her head and kissed them with passionate kisses and tears.
 "My Heaven-my all :" the duchess heard her murmur.